One of Europe’s great historic rivers, the Seine rises near Dijon and flows in a north westerly direction through Paris before crossing Normandy and emptying into the English Channel at Le Havre. River Cruises travel from Honfleur or Rouen to Paris or the reverse passing through the wonderful villages of Monet and the Impressionists. Alternatively follow the Marne River through the Champagne region.
Seine River
The river is 485 miles (780km) long and is a great traffic highway linking Paris with the sea. River Cruises travel from Honfleur or Rouen to Paris or the reverse calling at Les Andelys, Giverny and Bougival and beyond Paris to Melun. It has five main tributaries, The Marne, Aube, Loing, Yonne and Oise, as well as canals linking it to the Loire, Rhine and Rhone rivers.
Marne River
The River Marne flows through northern France for 326 miles (525km) from its source just south of Langres on the Langres Plateau. It flows through the Champagne-Ardennes region where many of the great battles of European history were fought before joining the Seine in the Paris basin. Flowing north-northwest in a wide valley past Chaumont and Saint-Dizier, it then turns west before veering northwest to skirt Vitryle-François and Châlons-sur-Marne and then west to Épernay. The Canal lateral a la Marne accompanies the river from its source to a lock northwest of Épernay. From this point the river itself is canalised. The Marne valley from Epernay through Château-Thierry to La Ferté-sous-Jouarre is one of the prettiest in France. It then flows past Meaux before making a wide loop southeast of Paris and entering the Seine River at Charenton, an eastern suburb of Paris.
Oise River
The Oise river joins the Seine River after flowing for 185 miles (300km) through Belgium and France. Its source is in the Belgian province Hainaut in the Ardennes mountains, south of the town Chimay. It crosses the border with France after approximately 20 km and passes through Compiegne, Auvers sur Oise, Point-Sainte-Maxence and Pointoise before flowing into the Seine in Conflans Sainte Honorine, near Paris.
